The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have revamped their group of kickers as the team signed former Lou Groza Award winner Rodrigo Blankenship to a one-year, $940,000 contract, per Spotrac. The news comes after the Bucs released longtime kicker Ryan Succop earlier this offseason. Succop spent the last three years as Tampa Bay’s kicker, including the team’s Super Bowl run during the 2020 season.
Blankenship will compete against Chase McLaughlin to emerge as the Bucs kicker for 2023. It would be a surprise if Tampa Bay opted to retain both players on the final roster, meaning one of Blankenship or McLaughlin will likely be released prior to Week 1.
The newest Buccaneers kicker comes as a former highly touted college specialist during his career at Georgia. Blankenship converted on 82.5% of his college field goals and did not miss an extra point attempt with the Bulldogs.
Blankenship began his NFL career with the Colts in 2020 before being released in 2022. Most recently, Blankenship was a mid-season addition by the Cardinals before being once again released last November.
New Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship Holds the Rose Bowl Record for Longest Field Goal
Rodrigo Blankenship just set a Rose Bowl record with this 55-yard field goal! Georgia trails 31-17 at halftime.
The veteran has connected on 47-of-53 field goal attempts (83.9%) and 93.1% of extra point tries over his NFL career. Blankenship has been particularly consistent from the 40 to 49-yard range nailing 15-of-19 kicks. The former Bulldogs standout notched a 53-yard field goal with the Colts during his rookie season which remains the longest successful kick of his career.
Blankenship won the Lou Groza Award in 2019 given to the top college kicker during the same season the specialist notched the most field goals in the SEC. The Bucs kicker still holds the Rose Bowl record for longest made kick with his 55-yard field goal against Baker Mayfield’s Oklahoma squad in 2018.
Tampa Bay Bucs HC Todd Bowles on Baker Mayfield’s Interceptions: ‘You’re Going to Take Some Chances’
Caught up w/Bucs qb Baker Mayfield on learning the new offense and his future in Tampa. #gobucs #nflnetwork
For as important as special teams is for a contending team, all eyes are on the Buccaneers quarterback battle between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. Mayfield has struggled with interceptions throughout his NFL career throwing 64 picks, including 13 turnovers with the Browns in 2021. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is okay with Mayfield taking some chances within reason.
“I have to see all of them first to see what kind they were, but you try to get the ball out of his hands and make sure he’s making the right read,” Bowles told reporters on June 15. “If the guy is covered, try and throw it out of bounds. If you’re a quarterback, you’re going to take some chances and you’re going to have some turnovers – just try to limit them as much as we can.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rumors: The Front Office Is in Talks With Star Receiver Mike Evans on a New Contract
More moves could be on the way as the Buccaneers are looking to keep Mike Evans in Tampa for the forceable future despite ongoing trade rumors. Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported that the Bucs and Evans are in contract talks with a willingness to “get something done this summer.” Evans is heading into the final season of a five-year, $82 million contract and is slated to have a $13 million base salary in 2023.
“Evans counts $23,698,500 against the 2023 salary cap,” Stroud wrote on June 17. “Part of that is the result of his willingness to restructure in order to give the Bucs more salary-cap space.
“But now it’s time for Evans to receive his third contract from the Bucs. Those talks have already begun, and there is a willingness on both sides to get something done this summer.”
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Buccaneers Sign Former Award Winner as Intriguing Potential New Starter